Together Always
by WillySmith1510
Summary: Mei Sakakibara has gone into labor, and finally gave birth to two healthy, adorable daughters. Soon enough, she and Kouichi realized that the bond that connected them and their newborn children together is not just a family bond, it means far more than that, and not even life or death could break it. Post-series oneshot Kouichi x Mei.
1. New Lives

It was midnight.

Mei screamed out painfully on the mobile bed as doctors and nurses hurried to bring her to the emergency room. She went into labor barely an hour ago. Following closely is her worrying husband, Kouichi, who held her hand tight as they moved along, trying to comfort her.

"It's going to be alright, Mei. Everything's going to be alright. Don't give up!"

Fear and anxiety filled his voice, but also does hope. After everything they went through, he isn't going to give up on her now. They must not lose here. The sake of their children depends on them to be strong. Life has taken so many loved ones from them already, and he's sure as hell won't let it take anymore.

Outside the labor room, Kouichi paced back and forth nervously. Sitting on the chair nearby is his best friends Naoya and Yuuya, who arrived just half an hour ago to give support to their friends. Times like this, friends must always stick by each other. They all learned their lessons since that...tragedy all those years ago.

"I'm sure she's going to be fine. Mei's a strong woman. She can do it, man." Naoya spoke up, trying to calm his best friend down. Kouichi just nodded in respond.

Yuuya didn't say anything, probably because he doesn't know what to say. He just gave a thumbs up to Kouichi, who managed a small smile, before going back to being nervous again.

As for Kouichi himself, the very thought of becoming a father terrifies him. So many things to fear: What if he couldn't be a good father? What if he couldn't take care of his family? What if something bad is going to happen to them? Most of those fears are obviously driven by his awful experiences when he was a junior high school student.

And that's not even his biggest fear right now.

Mei Sakakibara, his loving wife, his beautiful angel, is undergoing her operation to deliver their children. He finally understands how all those husbands feel when their wives are going into labor. His father once told him that it's lucky to be born as men, because you won't have to face something so painful like this, now he finally understands what he means.

His lovely wife is now facing that very painful moment for the sake of their children, while he can't do anything except waiting and praying for their safety.

_What if something bad happen to her? What if the doctors aren't good enough? What if their children don't make it? What if she doesn't make it?_

All those thoughts are driving him crazy. What kind of a man he is if he can't even protect his family? It took all of his strengths not to fall into despair right at that moment.

Minutes that passed by feel like hours, sweats keep dropping from Kouichi's strained face. He's about to give up. He wanted to run into that blasted room, just to see if his wife's still safe. He's willing to give up anything, _anything_, for any sign that can tell him that everything's going to be alright.

And he waited on, and on, and on...

* * *

Finally, one of the doctors came out of the room.

Kouichi, Naoya and Yuuya quickly gathered in front of him.

"Is it done, doctor? Is my wife alright? Is the delivery a success?" Kouichi asked frantically. He has to know the answer right now. Just tell him already whether he's the world's luckiest or the unluckiest man.

The doctor slowly took his glasses off, before smiling at him, and nodded.

"The delivery's a success, son. Your wife and your children are safe now. Congratulations."

The good news almost throw Kouichi off his feet. He sighed deeply before smiling as Naoya slapped his back, laughing. Yuuya just jumped up and down like an idiot, cheering to the new father's success.

"Your wife's now recovering, but you can go in to see her. My assistant's taking care of your children right now, please be gentle with them." The doctor said.

"Thank you, thank you so much, doctor. We owe you so much!" Kouichi shook the doctor's hand, who just smiled back.

"Happy to help a fellow father, son! Now, I have other matters to attend to, please excuse me." And then he walked away.

Kouichi stared at the labor room's doors. His wife, his children, his new family is waiting for him behind this door.

"Go on! We'll wait outside." Naoya said. "Wouldn't want to interrupt a private time between you two! Oh, I mean, _four_, right? You lucky bastard!"

And then he and Yuuya laughed again.

"You idiots will never change." Kouichi grinned. Heh, those two guys are really his best friends forever.

Finally, he pushed the door open, and stepped into that room.

* * *

She was there, on the patient's bed. Her eyes closed, resting because of the exhaustion from the childbirth.

Next to the bed is a nurse carrying two newborns in her arms.

_Twins_, Kouichi thought. _I'm now officially the luckiest son of a bitch alive._

"Your children are here, Mr. Sakakibara." The nurse smiled, before handing the two babies over. They're still crying, as all newborns do.

Kouichi carefully took them both to be in his arms.

"The children are both healthy, sir. No symptoms or anything to be worried about. We've already taken care of any basic necessities for newborns. There's nothing to worry, sir."

The kind nurse gave him another smile, a smile that somehow reminded him of another nurse that was significant in his life all those years ago.

"Thank you so much, miss, er..." He looked at the nurse's badge on her shirt.

_Hikari Mizuno_

"Miss...Mizuno." He finally completed.

So, that explains everything.

"Congratulations again, sir! I'm sure you'll make a good father!" She said before leaving the room.

Kouichi carefully carried his newborns toward Mei's bed, who finally open her eyes.

"...Hi..." She gave him a weak smile after seeing her children.

"We did it, Mei." Kouichi said softly while playfully caressing his children. "We finally did it."

"How's our children, Kouichi?" She asked.

"They're so adorable, Mei." He answered, gently stroking the child on his right arm. "So beautiful..."

Somehow, he felt a very strong connection with her, this...this first child of his...

"Let me see them, too." Mei spoke. Kouichi carefully handled the child on his left arm to her.

Mei used her arms to play with her child, her smile never faded from her face. She has never felt so happy before in her life. She's a mother now, a mother of two healthy, adorable children, and a wife of a loving husband. Nothing could be more perfect than this moment.

The child in her arms stared at her with a curious look, her little red eyes connecting with her single red one. They seems strikingly familiar to her.

"She's..." Mei whispered. "She's so..."

"Yeah..." Kouichi added. "I sensed it, too."

* * *

_The first child couldn't believe its fate._

_"So...warm..." It thought. Somehow, this man, this man who carried it right now, means something special to it._

_It's as if they have met before..._

_When? How? It doesn't know for sure._

_It couldn't remember anything. When it first arrived into the world, it screamed out loudly, a painful voice echoed around the room. It was in pain, the pain that is nonexistent yet is still there. Why is it so painful? Why is this world so painful?_

_What is this pain? And where does it come from?_

_It does not know that the pain came from its previous life, a pain of despair, anguish and sadness of a broken woman. A red-headed twin tail woman whose body is covered in blood, with giant, horrifying glass shards pierced through her tiny body. All her hopes have been lost at that moment. She has lost everything, her friends, her family, even the man she loves, even her life._

_It does not know, and it will never know._

_It will never know the horrific answer behind all its pains, but that ceased to matter as soon as this man held it in his loving arms._

_This man...the man who gave birth to it...the man who returned life to...her..._

_At that instant, all pain was finally melted away._

_One life ends, another begins._

_She is happy now. No matter what happens, as long as she's with this man, she can face anything._

_She's finally with the man she loves now, and that's all that matters._

* * *

"Izumi..." Kouichi whispered into her ear. "You are Izumi..."

He lovingly caressing her face before kissing her forehead, feeling as if all those painful memories from his childhood has finally gone away when his head touched hers.

Somehow, Kouichi knows that the name meant far more than his late friend's name. It_'s meant _to be her name. It always has. This child is named Izumi, and won't be anything other than Izumi.

Izumi is his child, and he will love her with all his heart. He will take care of her, and will protect her from any harm that may come to her.

"Izumi Sakakibara, it is..." Mei agreed, glancing at the child in her husband's arms. "Such a beautiful name."

Meanwhile, her attention's more directed to the other child in her arms, the child with the same red eyes as her.

This child is meant for her.

* * *

_The second child is no doubt in much happiness to be with this woman._

_"I'm...so...happy..." It thought._

_This woman...who gave birth to it...they are one and the same._

_They are connected together by that special bond, the bond that is one of a kind, the bond that is meant to be theirs, and theirs only._

_The bond similar to those of cousins...or sisters..._

_Although it cannot remembers its previous life, as all new lives do, the fact remains that it was once a young brown-haired lady who was this woman's sister. A distant yet close relative, separated by the cruel twist of fate, yet nothing, not even death, could cut the bond between those two ladies away._

_And it is that bond, that very same bond, that brought it...brought her...to be with this woman again._

_And as she yawned, finally drifting to sleep, she can rest assured that from now on, no matter what happens, they will always be together forever._

* * *

As Mei Misaki, she never once believe in destiny.

No life is a fairytale. Happy endings only existed in fictions that have no places in this cruel reality she lived in.

But as Mei Sakakibara, as a mother of her newborn children, she started to believe that maybe it is real after all.

"Misaki..." She spoke softly, tears started flowing down her face. "My dear Misaki..."

"Misaki Sakakibara..." Kouichi gently patted his second child's head, carefully not to wake her up as she already drifted to sleep. "A very pretty name, Mei."

As Izumi went off to sleep inside Kouichi's arm, he carefully placed her down near Misaki. Somehow, he has this funny hunch that Izumi and her mother won't really get along in the future, but that's probably just because she's entering her rebellious age. Deep down inside, she will be a kind woman that will always put the needs of others in front of herself. Mei also imagined Misaki to grow up to be a pleasant lady, a splitting image of herself in her younger years, and also, to certain extends, her deceased sister.

Kouichi and Mei's eyes finally connected, and they both smiled at each other once again.

They don't say anything, but no words are necessary.

They already understand each other's thoughts.

_No matter what happens, no matter how much more pain they have to go through. _

_No matter how much sadness, how much tragedy that life will inflict on them. _

_Life may one day take one of them away, or even two, or even all of them, but they do not fear it at all._

_They do not fear because of one simple knowledge, one small promise, one ordinary act yet has extraordinary meaning to all of them._

_They will always be together._

* * *

**Editor's note: Whew! Haven't write a oneshot for a while.**

**I gave this fic my best shot, you know why? Because I will **_**never **_**be satisfied by how Another ended, and certain characters that I **_**really liked**_** don't get their well-deserved happy endings. I don't know how they worked in the hospital when it comes to childbirth operation, but well, I never planned this to be a realistic fic, after all. I did my best to portray Kouichi's feelings as a father, though. I'm yet to reach that moment myself, but I imagine that all new fathers everywhere will feel something similar to what I described here. But I'm willing to accept criticisms, as always.**

**So, have a nice happy ending-ish oneshot for our beloved Another main characters, because I'm gonna off to sleep! Finished this thing by midnight! LOL**


	2. A Tearful Reunion

It was never easy being a teacher.

Every student is different. You had to deal with all kinds of trouble you can _and _cannot expect.

Of course, the students in Class 3-3 of Yomi North and the 'Calamity' trouble are no different.

Kouichi knew the risks when he took up the job as Class 3-3's homeroom teacher at Yomi North. Mei also knew the risks. Their friends knew the risks.

But no one's just gonna stand by and watch another class massacre happening again.

It should be obvious. The answer's always there. It's been there all along.

He should've noticed it sooner, back when he was a student. If he did, a lot of lives could be saved.

A school plagued with the curse, but is still opening despite it for who knows how many years? An administration committee that never shows up anywhere in the school? Why is the calamity's happening every year despite every Extra one that showed up has been returned to death?

The truth's much simpler than anyone thought; there was, and always been, more than one Extra one.

And another Extra one is none other than the principal of Yomi North himself.

The mysterious principal who never showed up at the opening ceremony or anywhere else for that matter. His face, as Kouichi noticed when he put a bullet in his head, matched that of the ghostly boy in the 1972 Class 3-3 photo Mei showed to him from a long time ago. His name was supposed to be Yomiyama Misaki, but it appeared that it was a fake name he created.

As Kouichi thought, he was dead since 1972, but he refused to die. He returned as a ghost, as all Extra ones did, but instead of returning to dead at the end of the year like everyone, he secretly became the school principal via fake identity, and manipulating the school, class 3-3 in particular, into fooling 'Death' to think that it has successfully find and bring him to where he belonged.

What's a better way for the Dead to live on than having the Living die for them?

For so many years, it worked. Students, teachers, relatives, anyone that related to Class 3-3 were killed just so that he could live on longer. An even better insurance is that with him still living, the another 'Extra one' that appeared every year managed to make his job a lot more easier.

His past was mysterious, but Kouichi didn't care to find out. With Mei and her magic eye's little help, he finally got the bastard that killed his friends and so many others, that's all that matters.

All of these to ensure that his children, Izumi and Misaki, won't suffer the same tragic fates as his fallen friends.

The calamity was no more.

* * *

Izumi and Misaki have grown up so quickly in Mei's eyes. She couldn't bring herself to believe that it's been fifteen years already. As she predicted, Misaki's the splitting image of herself in her younger years, and Izumi is, well, just like the Izumi she remembered. They don't really get along, true, but they're still family, and no matter what happens, you don't turn your back on your family.

Today's the first day they both started their new school years in Yomi North, of course in Class 3-3, but it's also the twentieth anniversary of the day everything ended, the day of the Mansion Incident.

And today, she and Kouichi are going to pay a visit to their friends.

* * *

"Mom, how's aunt Yukari like?"

Misaki asked her mother while she's walking hand in hand on the way to the cemetery. They're going on ahead while Kouichi and Izumi are going to the hospital for a little check-up. Misaki, being observing as she is, asked her mother about her friends. It's a little tough for her to answer though, she never really has anyone to called friends back when she's in junior high, for reasons obvious to everyone, but she's going to try her best.

"She's a very kind woman, Misa-chan." Mei smiled at her daughter. "She always cared after her friends, and she also got along really well with your father. She's one of the best friends you could ask for."

"And what about Uncle Kazami?"

"Oh, he's uncle Naoya's best friend, and was also very close with aunt Yukari. He's a very serious person, and is always cool-headed. But _don't_ make him angry. He could be a short-tempered man if the situation forced him. Me and your father learned that out the hard way."

"Oh! And what about aunt Izumi? You know, the person whose dad named sister after?"

This time, Mei stayed silent.

She doesn't know what to talk about Izumi, even though out of her deceased friends, she knew her the best.

Izumi Akazawa, both her best friend, and her worst enemy.

She was the first person she tried to bond with after she got into Class 3-3, and it went along just fine had it not for her being declared the Extra one of the class. Even then, she won't give up. After Kouichi came along, she gave it another try, and against all odds, it was working, up until the beach incident where it all gone downhill...

...up until that mansion, where everything went wrong and she couldn't do anything at all.

"...I think you might need to ask your father about her," Mei answered. "I don't really know her well."

"Oh, okay, mom." Misaki said, her face saddened a bit. She _really _wants to know about Izumi Akazawa, her older sister's namesake. Her father gave her that name for a reason, and she wants to know why. She and Izumi aren't nicknamed by their parents' friends 'the Yomi North Legacy' without reasons.

* * *

"Ouch!"

Izumi's foot slipped on some rocks on the ground, and she fell over. It was near the river that was flowing through the town.

"That hurts!" She moaned, her hand grabbed the back of her head before shaking, her red twintails flew motioned back and forth.

"Need a little help, Izumi?"

Kouichi reached his hand out for her with a kind, assured smile on his face. Izumi grabbed her father's hand before getting up. They were just walking along the river after they got back from the hospital. It was evening, and the sun's starting to go down, the sunset overlooking the town is so beautiful. Kouichi never thought the town of Yomiyama would have something like this, considering everything else this town had.

"Thanks, dad." Izumi said, giving a smile back to her father.

Out of everyone in her life, she can say with no hesitation that she loved her father the most, well, at least until she could find a boyfriend. Her tense altitude with others doesn't really helped. There's only a few people in her life that she has a soft spot on, her sister Misaki, her father, and as much as she hated to admit it, her mother Mei is also on her list. For her, nothing's more important than her family.

"So this is where you first met her, huh?" She asked. "Your best friend? My namesake, Izumi?"

Kouichi looked at the scenery around them, only just realized that they've been standing in the very place, at the very same moment in a day, that he first met Izumi Akazawa.

His greatest failure is for him not to remember it, at the time she was asking if he could, at the worst moment possible.

He could not bring her happiness when she most needed it.

Even after all this time, he could not forgive himself for that one mistake.

"Yeah," Kouichi said, his eyes staring into distance. "This is where I met her...sweet memories..."

Izumi looked into her father's eyes. They're full of sadness. She decided not to ask anything further. She knew full well who the other Izumi are. Her parents always talked about her. For them, she's someone special to them, and that's all she has to know.

"Let's move on, daddy." Izumi grabbed her father's hand again. "Mom and sis are waiting for us at the cemetery."

_The cemetery_. Kouichi thought. _I used to hate going to that place, but this time, it's so strange._

_It's as if I'm looking forward to go there._

"Alright, let's go." He finally spoke.

And then, hand in hand, they walked along the riverside.

* * *

"Yo, Kouichi!" A familiar voice called up.

Naoya and Yuuya are standing there with their kids. All of them greeted Kouichi just down the hill below the cemetery itself.

"It's good to see you again, uncle Naoya and uncle Yuuya!" Izumi greeted.

"Never thought you guys will show up, too!" Kouichi exclaimed. So unexpected, but nevertheless, he's glad to see them both here.

"Wouldn't miss it for anything in the world, bro." Naoya grinned. "Besides, someone _really_ wants to meet you!"

"Uncle Sakakibara!"

A young boy and a young girl spoke in unison, before running toward Kouichi and hug him tight.

"Whoa! Kazami! Yumi! Slow down!"

_Heh, those two haven't changed at all._

"Hey! Have you got taller, Yumi-chan? How old are you this year?" Izumi asked while patting Yumi's head. She just smiled happily.

"She just turned nine last friday, aunt!" Kazami smiled. "Mine's not until December."

"Time sure flies by, eh?" Naoya added.

"Where's little Yukari-chan and Aya-chan, Yuuya?" Kouichi asked.

"Oh, they're playing with Mei over there." Yuuya said, before pointing to the green field overlooking the town, where Mei sitting on the picnic mat, with two young girls sitting beside her.

"Uh huh, and Where's Naomi?"

"Nah, she can't bring herself to come here." Yuuya answered. "She's out on town with Haruka. They both send their regards, though. Don't worry."

Not really a surprise, though, considering what happened.

Against all odds, Naoya managed to overcome his guilt during his school years and managed to hook up with Haruka Etou, while Yuuya did the same with Naomi Fujimaki. They all have a couple of children just a short while after Mei gave birth to Izumi and Misaki, respectively.

And while it's not exactly a rule, they all made a promise that they'll all name their newborn children after their deceased friends, and will one day brought them here together, to be with their friends, to be_ together_.

* * *

The first grave Kouichi visited is none other than his aunt's grave, Reiko Mikami.

"Hi, Reiko-san." Kouichi spoke. "It's been twenty years now, right?"

He carefully placed the flower banquet on her grave, fighting the urges to let his tears down. Naoya, Yuuya and their kids are visiting the other graves, so only Mei and their children are with him right now.

"You...don't worry about the class, okay? Everything's alright now. I've got it all under control." He spoke.

"Learned a few tricks while you were the homeroom teacher...really helped a lot, you know? Thanks, Reiko-san."

_Okay, now I'm speaking nonsense._ Kouichi thought. He just doesn't know what to say to her. Everything that's happened to her. It's just...damn it all.

And this is just the first grave of many he's going to go through this day.

Mei stood behind him, along with his children. They both hugged him tight, trying to give him comfort.

"Say hello to mom for me, and take care of yourself, okay? I'll see you again."

He finally said his parting words, before giving another small smile at the grave, before turning away.

* * *

"Hi sister."

Mei spoke. She finally arrived at the grave of Misaki Fujioka, her deceased twin sister.

"How've you been doing these days, sis?" She asked, then laughed bitterly when she realized that she won't be getting an answer.

It's funny, talking with the dead. You know they can't talk back, but you still wanted to talk to them. It's like one way of remembering them, to know that we used to know, to talk, to laugh, to cry, to do something meaningful with them at least once in our lives.

"Is that your sister, mom?" Young Misaki asked her mother while kneeling down in front of the grave. "She must be a lot like you, yes?"

"Yes, Misaki." Mei answered, her eyes still on the grave. "Yes, she was."

"I'm just...I just wished that you could be here with us, Fujioka-san...Misaki..." Mei whispered, tears started dropping out of her eye.

Suddenly, the time stopped, and something unbelievable happened.

_"I'm always here with you, Mei, wherever you are."_

Mei stopped crying, lifting her face up, before seeing something that made her heart skipped quite a few beats.

In front of her, where it should be her younger daughter Misaki, stood Misaki, her sister.

_"Good to see you again, sister."_ Misaki spoke, smiling brightly at Mei.

"M-Misaki!?" Mei exclaimed. She couldn't believe what she is seeing like now.

_"So now _I'm _the younger one, huh?"_ She giggled _"I'll have to admit, I never really enjoyed being the younger one, but this 'sister' of mine, Izumi, she's...interesting. Would love going to know her better."_

Mei doesn't say anything, but just lunged toward Misaki, and hugged her tight.

"I missed you so much, Misaki! I missed you so much! Don't ever leave me again!"

_"I have told you, right? I'm always with you, Mei. We won't be separated ever again."_

Misaki patted her back, comforting her.

If it were to be from anyone else's point of view, it's a mother embracing her daughter in front of someone's grave, but for Mei, it's a tearful reunion between her and her dear sister after a long time of separation.

_"Please take a good care of me, Mei. I love you."_

"I love you, too, Misaki...I love you..."

* * *

_"Long time no see, you idiot."_

A familiar energetic voice spoke, as Kouichi backed away a few feet after seeing the woman in front of him stood in the place where his older daughter were seconds before.

"I...Izumi?"

_"Of course it's me! Who do you expect!?" _

She pouted. Her red eyes staring at him in disappointment.

_"_B-but, but you are..." Kouichi staggered. He just had no idea of what to speak.

_"Heh, speechless, eh? After all those years and you haven't realize that I was here with you all along?"_

"I knew it was you all along, Izumi." Kouichi finally spoke, his eyes still stared at her in amazement, but at least he has something to speak now. "That's why I gave you that name."

_"So you haven't forgot about me, after all." _Izumi continued, her face became saddened._ "After...after that mansion...after what you spoke to me that day...I thought you..."_

Before she finished, she was cut off by Kouichi who suddenly hugged her tight.

"Goddamnit Izumi...I'm...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything..."

That's it, his tears are bursting out right now.

"I'm sorry for being the ignorant jackass like I did...I'm sorry that I was too weak to...to save you..."

Kouichi's body trembled, his knees' starting to give away. The guilt all come crashing down on him one by one.

"I'm sorry...that I let you die..."

Izumi slowly wrapped her arms around Kouichi's back, embracing him also.

_"It's not your fault, Kouichi. Stop blaming yourself already."_

Kouichi lifted his face up, looking straight into Izumi's eyes.

_"I tried to kill you and Mei. It was me who lost it at that moment_._ Every death at that mansion happened because I couldn't stop Takako from broadcasting that blasted announcement."_

"But you were forced to do it!" Kouichi argued. "You just lost all your best friends! If it were me, I would've lost my mind, too!"

_"Ever wondered how things would've turned out for different had there not been a calamity happened, Kouichi?"_

Izumi asked a question that Kouichi doesn't understand.

"I..."

_"Ever wondered how we could be friends if there wasn't a calamity happening?"_

"Y-yeah..."

_"Now, would we still be friends when there is a calamity? That's the difference, Kouichi. You stood up for your friends while me, Takako and all the others didn't. You stood up for Mei, even if nobody else did."_

Izumi moved her hands to Kouichi's face, holding him close.

_"You chose to never just focus on keeping on living, but also in living with a meaning, that's why you survived. That's why you lived, Kouichi."_

And with that, Izumi gave him another smile, a bright, radiant smile, almost made Kouichi thought that she is still living.

_"Look over there, there's she coming, and her sister." _

She pointed across the field and Kouichi looked along. Mei is walking toward them, beside her is Misaki, but it's not his younger daughter.

She looked just like Mei, but with brown hair and two red eyes, as opposed to Mei's black hair and a single red eye.

_"So, you did a great job protecting her, huh?" _

"Yeah." Kouichi replied.

_"You are Mei's husband, and my new 'father', right? Thank you for taking care of my sister, Kouichi-san"_ Misaki spoke

Kouichi found it weird that technically, he's talking with his younger daughter, but he decided not to over thinking it and replies to her.

"She has a great effect on my life, Misaki-san. You sure are lucky to have her as your sister." He told Misaki, who just smiled happily in response.

As Mei and Izumi stood opposite each other, Izumi gave her a dreaded look just like she did when they were in junior high.

_"So, I guess I have to call you 'mother' now, right, you bitch?"_

Mei didn't say anything.

_"Heh. Always the same emotionless doll, you will never change."_

_"Stop calling my sister like that!" _Misaki spoke, her eyes tensed up, but Mei used her arms to hold her back.

Izumi ignored her, her eyes never taking off the woman in front of her.

_"You'll never make a good friend to anyone, Mei." She began._

_"But you _do_ make a nice mother."_

Suddenly, Izumi pulled Mei toward her, and they embraced each other.

_"I'm sorry for everything I have done to you, Mei." _Izumi said as she's starting to cry. _"I'm sorry that I let my anger got the best of me."_

"It...it was never your fault, Izumi." Mei tried to speak while controlling herself not to cry again. "It was never anyone's fault."

Izumi smiled despite in tears, before saying the words that almost made Kouichi's heart melt since Mei accepted his marriage proposal.

_"You are, and always will be, my friend, Mei Misaki. Take care of yourself, okay?"_

Mei just nodded. She's just too much emotional to say anything.

Izumi turned her head toward Kouichi while still embracing Mei, and giving him a wink.

_"You'd better take a good care of all of us, Kouichi!" _She spoke and gave him a mischievous grin. _"Or I'll haunt you for the rest of your miserable life!"_

For the first time in a big while, Kouichi laughed happily.

He knew it all along ever since they were born, this just confirmed it, and made his world a lot more better.

They are together, they _really _are together.

No one gets left behind, _no one._

"Heh, you already did, Izumi"

And with that, Misaki walked beside Izumi, and they both gave Kouichi and Mei another happy smiles.

_"I love you."_

They spoke in unison, before collapsing on the ground.

Mei and Kouichi hurriedly walking toward them. Izumi and Misaki's eyes closed eyes slowly opened.

"...Mom? Dad? What happened? Why are you both having a funny look on your faces?" Misaki asked.

Mei sighed with relief, while Kouichi smiled at them.

"We just ran into some old friends, Misaki-chan. Don't worry," Mei spoke kindly while patting Misaki's head.

"Oi! Kouichi! Mei!" Naoya called out from behind them. "It's getting dark now! Let's go find something to eat. Don't let my wife wait too long! She'll have my head!"

"Right! We're coming!" Kouichi shouted.

And with that, the Sakakibara family started walking down the hill.

"Oh, Misa-chan?" Mei spoke. "You asked earlier that you wanted to know more about aunt Izumi, right?"

"Yeah! I really wanted to know more about her, mom!"

Mei glanced at Izumi, who's walking alongside her father, smiling happily as they shared jokes and the like as they're walking along.

"Alright, I'll tell you about her, Misaki." Mei finally smiled, wiping away the leftover tears from earlier, then grabbed her daughter's hand.

This is going to be an interesting life that awaited them all.

* * *

**Editor's note: So, er, looks like I failed to keep this fic as a oneshot, huh?**

**Dunno, just have the urge to write this second chapter after I read a Dangan Ronpa Epilogue fanfic written by my fanfic writer friend, TheRoseShadow21, which have similar premises as what I wrote here. Other than that, I just wrote it out of sheer devotion to give the Another characters a proper happy ending they deserved LOL.**

**There WILL be a third chapter, since three is my favorite number, so stay tuned!**

**Read and review! Thank you all readers!**


	3. Together Always

It is inevitable.

Kouichi knows this day will eventually come to him, as it does to all living things in this universe.

It should even be considered a miracle he managed to live this long, with a heart condition like that.

His days are numbered, again.

And this time, there's no stopping the countdown.

Mei already hit hers five years earlier. Life showed her no mercy just like it did to everyone else. Dying from cancer isn't anything new, but it sure was a slow, painful way to go.

But she never give up. She fought with life as best as she could. Not for herself, but for her friends, her family, her loved ones, everyone that matters in her life.

When her light gone out, her warmth never ceased to comfort them.

That everlasting smile was still on her face at her funeral, her body laid just next to her friends from childhood.

It has been a lonely five years for Kouichi. Of course, he still has his children with him, but they both went to start their own families also, and as much as Izumi and Misaki wanted, it will be kind of weird for them all to be living under the same small roof.

Well, at least his grandchildren made him feel a little better somewhat.

"Grandpa Kouichi! Grandpa Kouichi!"

Young Reiko called out. Her mother Misaki is walking with her toward Kouichi, who's resting on his bed. He can barely moved his body.

"Hi, Reiko-chan. Nice to see you again!" Kouichi greeted, trying to move his arms to hug her, but the best he could do is to pat her head.

_Damn it, I should've work out more._ Kouichi thought. He once watched a news depicting an old man in his late nineties who could still manage to go out running at the nearby park, his age barely slowed him down. Not a chance for him, though.

Being a ninety-three years old man has its advantages and disadvantages, having a healthy life isn't really one of his. Though it's not necessary a bad thing.

"How are you doing, daddy?" Misaki asked. Her eyes stared at her father with concern.

"Just like usual, Misaki. There's nothing to worry."

That wasn't exactly the truth. The 'just like usual' means he's been like this since two years ago, but the 'nothing to worry' part, well, he just said that to keep his dear granddaughter from worrying.

Heh, even until now, he still couldn't believe that Misaki will really honor his wish to have one of his grandchildren named after his aunt.

"Where's Ritsuko-chan?"

"Sister is just outside with Azumi and Ryoko, grandpa." Reiko happily replied.

That moment, someone walks into the room.

"That brat Kazuya! Somebody needs to teach that kid a lesson! He's trying to hit on my precious Azumi again!"

Izumi yelled out frustratingly.

"Looks like he picked up a lot from his grandfather, huh? Kouichi grinned. "Your uncle Naoya is quite a casanova in his younger years, you know?"

"NOT funny, dad!"

Kouichi laughed lightly. Heh, at least he still have some weird sense of humor still left inside him.

But as soon as he stopped laughing, he started coughing instead.

Misaki, knowing that things' probably going to take a worse turn, grabbed her daughter's hand.

"Come on, Reiko. Your sister's waiting outside. Go play her for a while, okay?"

"But grandpa's still sick! We can't leave him alone like this!" Reiko protested.

"That's why we need to let him rest, dear. Grandpa need some sleep if he is to get better." Izumi explained.

"Don't worry about me, Reiko-chan." Kouichi added, giving his granddaughter a smile. "I'm going to be fine. Go have some fun with your sister and friends, Reiko. When I got well, I'll go play with you later, promise?"

_Yet another empty promise he couldn't keep. _Kouichi thought.

Reiko looked back and forth between her grandfather and her mother, before finally gave in and walk to the door, but stopped short of reaching it and turning back to Kouichi one more time.

"Please be well soon, grandpa Kouichi!" She begged, before closing the door, leaving Misaki, Izumi and Kouichi in the room.

Kouichi coughed again. His breathing's starting to get difficult.

"...Hah...hah..."

He panted heavily, trying his best to stop his body from shaking violently.

* * *

_"So, it finally comes to this, old man."_

A faint voice coming from right beside Kouichi, although he feels like it's coming from a very far place.

But he remembered that voice real well.

"So this is what it feels like when dying?" He spoke out weakly, his eyes staring at the woman standing beside his bed.

Izumi just chuckled.

_"Well, I already forgot about all that pain when I died, so sorry, I can't really explain it to you. It's not like I wanted to remember that dreadful experience."_

Kouichi let out a little laugh. No matter what, Izumi's still the same Izumi he always known.

_"I'm sure it won't be so much painful, Kouichi-san." _Misaki said, her hand held with Kouichi's.

Kouichi took another deep breath. Truth be told, he never really cared when or how he will die. That weren't the question he had in mind.

"Hey, Izumi, Misaki?" He began. "Have you ever wondered...why do we born?"

Izumi and Misaki both stared at him.

"If we are born only to die eventually, why even bother live at all? We live, we die, that's life, and that's it. Is there really any meaning to all of this?"

Kouichi's voice starting to get weary. His time's almost up, but before he go out, he at least need to know his answer.

_"_What is Life, exactly?"

_"Well, heck, Kouichi, you could be a great philosopher." _Izumi commented. _"Life's life, there's no meaning to it. You could live however you want, die however you wanted. It's not important if we are born only to die, what really matters is what we do before we die, and that's it."_

"You're still...not answering...my question, Izumi."

_"There's no correct answer to your question, Kouichi-san." _This time, it is Misaki who spoke. _"Your question is like asking why everything in the universe existed. Something just happens without reasons. There's no Life without Death, but then, why are there Life and Death in the first place?"_

Misaki and Kouichi's eyes connected. They both saw their own reflections in their eyes.

_"Because there is a bond, Kouichi. Everything is connected. We born, we die, true, but the most important thing is that we lived, and because we lived, we found and bonded with each other. We laugh, we cry, we hate, we love, because of this bond. Without Life and Death, the bond that brought us together wouldn't exist, and I wouldn't have get to meet such wonderful people like Mei, like you, like Izumi."_

_"You flattered me, 'sister'." _Izumi giggled, before continued from Misaki.

_"That's _our_ answer, Kouichi. It might not be the correct one, but it's enough for us."_

_Heh, that's good enough. _Kouichi thought. At least he finally got to know what he lived and died for.

Kouichi coughed again, this time more violent than usual.

_"We'll be here with you until it ends, Kouichi." _Izumi gently tell him, her hand holding Misaki and Kouichi's hands tight. _"Because we are family, right?"_

"Heh..."

Kouichi's breath started getting slower and slower.

"Just...there's one thing, you should know, Izumi."

Izumi moved her left ear near Kouichi, eagerly waiting for him to continue.

"When you know you're going to die...at least go out with a smile..."

And with that, Kouichi smiled, the brightest smile he could ever give to someone. Izumi did the same, with tears flowing down her face.

She knows exactly why Kouichi told her like that.

Finally, Kouichi closed his eyes one last time, his smile still on his face, never fading, his breathing stopped.

_"Take care of Mei, okay? We'll see each other again, soon. Love you, Kouichi."_ Misaki said, giving one last kiss on Kouichi's peaceful face, and finally let go of his hand.

Kouichi Sakakibara has passed away.

But their bonds will last forever.

He made them a promise, after all, that they will always be together.

_Together Always._

* * *

**Editor's note: That's it, the end.**

**Got a little bit philosophical, but that's just because I don't know what to write LOL. **

**Thank you guys for reading! Hopefully I can finish my other stories soon. :)**


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